Patents by Inventor Gordon Roberts

Gordon Roberts has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8933742
    Abstract: Time-Mode Signal Processing (TMSP) offers a means for offsetting some of the challenges for analog circuit designs when exploiting CMOS circuit processes designed for digital applications. It would therefore be beneficial to provide a digital method for the storage, addition and subtraction of Time-Mode variables as these offer significant benefit to providing TMSP techniques and expanding their exploitation within devices, systems, and applications. While driven by CMOS process challenges the TM circuits outlined may exploit essentially any digital circuit technology since they are based upon delay. The inventors present an approach to TM variables wherein a switched delay unit is exploited and adopted such that the instantaneous phase difference between two rising signal edges can be latched and used to perform various arithmetic operations. Beneficially, the technique allows analog sampled-data signal processing to be implemented within digital circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Gordon Roberts, Mohammad Ali Bakhshian
  • Patent number: 8922396
    Abstract: Technologies are described herein for providing an automatic reminder function. The technologies are adapted to receive a definition of a reminder as an occurrence or are non-occurrence of an event and to receive operationally relevant data from a system data device. The technologies then determine whether the operationally relevant data indicates that the reminder is triggered by the occurrence or non-occurrence of the event. Responsive to determining whether the operationally relevant data indicates that the reminder is triggered by the occurrence or non-occurrence of the event, the technologies issue the reminder through instrumentation on an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gordon Robert Andrew Sandell, Bradley David Cornell
  • Patent number: 8884783
    Abstract: A priority control unit is provided for use with light-based and GPS-based traffic control priority systems. The priority control unit includes a light emitter subsystem that is configured to emit pulses of light. The pulses of light encode a priority request for activating preemption of a traffic signal by a light-based traffic control priority system. The priority control unit also includes a GPS-based subsystem that is configured to transmit a priority request by radio waves. The priority request from the GPS-based subsystem is for activating preemption of a traffic signal by a GPS-based traffic control priority system. A switch is coupled to the light emitter subsystem and to the GPS-based subsystem. The switch simultaneously activates both the light emitter subsystem and the GPS-based subsystem for transmitting priority requests in response to user control. In another embodiment, the priority control unit further includes a broadcast based subsystem for transmitting priority requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Global Traffic Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Gordon Roberts, Jerry Lee Johnson
  • Patent number: 8874583
    Abstract: Tags on documents are clustered using tag weightings of the tags on the documents. Each cluster includes an identified subject. The identified subjects are compared to identify relationships between the identified subjects. A taxonomy of subjects is built using the identified relationships between the identified subjects programmatically without user intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin Leonard Bird, Timothy David Catt, Thomas Alan Clabon, David John Gordon Robert Rankine, James Edwin Jerome Thompson, Cerys Willoughby
  • Patent number: 8855215
    Abstract: A method and a circuit are provided for providing phase or frequency synthesis using sigma-delta modulation bit-stream techniques in which data is encoded utilizing sigma-delta modulation and then digital-to-time conversion (DTC) or digital-to-frequency conversion (DFC). In some embodiments this encoded data stream is further subjected to phase or frequency domain filtering, which in some embodiments is carried out by a higher-order phase-locked loop (PLL).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Gordon Roberts, Sadok Aouini
  • Patent number: 8838300
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating an aircraft. An aircraft system comprises a housing, a standby aircraft management system, and a backup power system. The standby aircraft management system is associated with the housing and is configured to provide communications, navigation, and control of a number of aircraft systems needed for safe flight and landing of an aircraft in which the standby aircraft management system is located. The backup power system is configured to supply power to the standby aircraft management system when the power is unavailable from the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Bradley David Cornell, Gordon Robert Andrew Sandell
  • Patent number: 8761071
    Abstract: A method and system for dispatching calls using a packet network is disclosed. The use of distributed call management modules, enables various communication systems, such as RF and PSTN systems, to communicate with each other over the IP network. Audio devices from the various communication systems are each assigned an IP multicast group. Distributed call management modules covert signals from the audio devices into IP packets and transmit the IP packets to designated IP multicast groups over the IP network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Cassidian Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Olivier, Douglas Gordon Roberts
  • Patent number: 8620922
    Abstract: A method and system for generating a taxonomy for documents from tag data are provided. The method includes obtaining tag data in the form of tags on documents with tag weightings for a document and clustering the tags using the tag weightings for documents, wherein each cluster is an identified subject. The documents are associated with each identified subject and the subjects are compared to identifying relationships between subjects to build a taxonomy of subjects. A tag weighting for a document is the number of times the tag is applied to the document with a user rating of the relevance of the tag to the document. The steps are carried out automatically without user intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin Leonard Bird, Timothy David Catt, Thomas Alan Clabon, David John Gordon Robert Rankine, James Edwin Jerome Thompson, Cerys Willoughby
  • Publication number: 20130297390
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium for enabling an individual to use a purchase-proxy mechanism to conduct a financial transaction from a computing device with an online merchant, whereby the individual is enabled to use stored personal data, such as financial account information and fulfillment information, without having to store the personal data with the online merchant. The system, method, and computer-readable storage medium furthermore enable an individual to change a payment and/or fulfillment option at the time of purchase with minimal inconvenience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: SHOPSAVVY INC.
    Inventors: Abiel Jaquez, Alexander Muse, John Boyd, Matthew Weathers, Scott Gordon Roberts, Kevin Henry Clark, Rylan Barnes
  • Publication number: 20130274962
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating an aircraft. An aircraft system comprises a housing, a standby aircraft management system, and a backup power system. The standby aircraft management system is associated with the housing and is configured to provide communications, navigation, and control of a number of aircraft systems needed for safe flight and landing of an aircraft in which the standby aircraft management system is located. The backup power system is configured to supply power to the standby aircraft management system when the power is unavailable from the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: The Boeing Compnay
    Inventors: Bradley David Cornell, Gordon Robert Andrew Sandell
  • Publication number: 20130158751
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting data. An aircraft data transmission system comprises an aircraft flight data transmitter. The aircraft flight data transmitter is configured to be connected to a connector for an on-board flight data recorder system for an aircraft. The aircraft flight data transmitter is further configured to receive data generated by sensors in the aircraft from the on-board flight data recorder system. The aircraft flight data transmitter is further configured to determine whether an undesired condition is present in the aircraft using the data. The aircraft flight data transmitter is further configured to initiate sending of at least a portion of the data received from the on-board flight data recorder system over a wireless communications link in response to a determination that the undesired condition is present in the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Bradley D. Cornell, Gordon Robert Andrew Sandell, Stephen Y. Lee
  • Publication number: 20130114493
    Abstract: A method and system for dispatching calls using a packet network is disclosed. The use of distributed call management modules, enables various communication systems, such as RF and PSTN systems, to communicate with each other over the IP network. Audio devices from the various communication systems are each assigned an IP multicast group. Distributed call management modules covert signals from the audio devices into IP packets and transmit the IP packets to designated IP multicast groups over the IP network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Cassidian Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Olivier, Douglas Gordon Roberts
  • Patent number: 8425741
    Abstract: This invention relates to a broad beam ion deposition apparatus (100) including an ion source (101), a target (102), a tillable substrate table (103) and an auxiliary port (104). The target (102) is in the form of a carousel which carries a number of targets and the ion source (101) is configured to produce a substantially rectangular section beam (105).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Aviza Technology Limited
    Inventors: Gary Proudfoot, Christopher David George, Paulo Edurado Lima, Gordon Robert Green, Robert Kenneth Trowell
  • Patent number: 8354652
    Abstract: This invention relates to an Ion gun (10) which comprises of plasma generator (11) driven from an RF source (12), a plasma or source chamber (13), having an outlet (14), across which is mounted an accelerator grid (15). The accelerator grid (15) comprises four individual grids. The first grid (16), which is closest to the outlet (14), is maintained at a positive voltage by a DC source (16a), the second grid (17) is maintained strongly negative by DC source (17a). The third grid (18) is maintained at a negative voltage, which is much lower than that of the second grid (17), by DC source (18a) and the fourth grid is grounded. Means of mounting these grids are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Aviza Technology Limited
    Inventors: Gary Proudfoot, Gordon Robert Green, Robert Kenneth Trowell
  • Publication number: 20130013608
    Abstract: Tags on documents are clustered using tag weightings of the tags on the documents. Each cluster includes an identified subject. The identified subjects are compared to identify relationships between the identified subjects. A taxonomy of subjects is built using the identified relationships between the identified subjects programmatically without user intervention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin Leonard Bird, Timothy David Catt, Thomas Alan Clabon, David John Gordon Robert Rankine, James Edwin Jerome Thompson, Cerys Willoughby
  • Patent number: 8346776
    Abstract: A method and system for generating a taxonomy for documents from tag data are provided. The method includes obtaining tag data in the form of tags on documents with tag weightings for a document and clustering the tags using the tag weightings for documents, wherein each cluster is an identified subject. The documents are associated with each identified subject and the subjects are compared to identifying relationships between subjects to build a taxonomy of subjects. A tag weighting for a document is the number of times the tag is applied to the document with a user rating of the relevance of the tag to the document. The steps are carried out automatically without user intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin Leonard Bird, Timothy David Catt, Thomas Alan Clabon, David John Gordon Robert Rankine, James Edwin Jerome Thompson, Cerys Willoughby
  • Patent number: 8346263
    Abstract: A method, system and memory are provided for enabling interoperability. A communication session between different communication systems, such as radio systems, operating using different protocols is initiated by receiving a scenario identifier from one of the user devices. An interoperability server receives the scenario identifier and accesses interoperability data to obtain the connection information corresponding the scenario matching the scenario identifier. The data includes scenarios for communication sessions and the connections required for each scenario. Once the interoperability server obtains the connection information, the communication session is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Cassidian Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Olivier, Douglas Gordon Roberts
  • Publication number: 20120288044
    Abstract: A method and a circuit are provided for providing phase or frequency synthesis using sigma-delta modulation bit-stream techniques in which data is encoded utilizing sigma-delta modulation and then digital-to-time conversion (DTC) or digital-to-frequency conversion (DFC). In some embodiments this encoded data stream is further subjected to phase or frequency domain filtering, which in some embodiments is carried out by a higher-order phase-locked loop (PLL).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University
    Inventors: Gordon Roberts, Sadok Aouini
  • Publication number: 20120218126
    Abstract: A priority control unit is provided for use with light-based and GPS-based traffic control priority systems. The priority control unit includes a light emitter subsystem that is configured to emit pulses of light. The pulses of light encode a priority request for activating preemption of a traffic signal by a light-based traffic control priority system. The priority control unit also includes a GPS-based subsystem that is configured to transmit a priority request by radio waves. The priority request from the GPS-based subsystem is for activating preemption of a traffic signal by a GPS-based traffic control priority system. A switch is coupled to the light emitter subsystem and to the GPS-based subsystem. The switch simultaneously activates both the light emitter subsystem and the GPS-based subsystem for transmitting priority requests in response to user control. In another embodiment, the priority control unit further includes a broadcast based subsystem for transmitting priority requests.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Douglas Gordon Roberts, Jerry Lee Johnson
  • Patent number: D668642
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Jeffrey Feldman, Jason Frannea, David Render, Robbie Gordon Roberts, Robert Turnbull